Friday's letters: Political circus at New College, culture wars a distraction
Political cronyism is ruining New College
The evolving political circus at New College of Florida reminds me of an episode of "The Sopranos.” In this episode the gangsters take over a thriving sporting goods store.
They do not really try to run a business. Instead, they use the prior owner’s goodwill and credit to buy truckloads of expensive merchandise, which they send out to be fenced or for their own use.
This goes on for months until the credit bureaus catch on and distributors stop taking their orders.
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They then abandon the business, for which they have never paid a cent of rent, and move on to the next scam.
There is a similar scenario taking place at New College: Republican cronies who are related or who are owed a political debt and know nothing about higher education are given plum positions at the school. Sometimes they are paid twice as much as their predecessors, who knew what they were doing.
These political gangsters are taking a successful college and running it into the ground.
If they really believe they have a better model for a college, why don’t they start a "Newer College" based on their supposedly superior model, instead of destroying one of the better colleges in the country?
If you are really better, do the work and prove it.
Dennis Joyce, Sarasota
Melting pot: America diverse since 1619
Those on the extreme, woke left seem to think that all we need is diversity, inclusion and equity to make this country great.
Well, we already have the first two. Plus, instead of “equity” we have “equality.”
We’ve been diverse since 1619.
America has been built on the backs of diverse immigrants from all over the planet: Greeks, Polish, Irish, French, Italians, Swedes, Africans (not just slaves), Slovenians, Asians, Germans, Dutch, Catholics, Jews, Protestants, etc., built this nation.
They were all diverse and included. They eventually blended into the American melting pot because they were all treated equally.
So tell your woke friends we aren’t buying their remake of American history. All of us are one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
John M. Alexander, Sarasota
Focus on student learning at board meetings
Parents who think crimes have been committed in Sarasota County schools should contact the police and spare the community their cruel and vicious comments about an elected School Board member.
Attacks on people rather than their ideas are known as “ad hominem” attacks. They are generally regarded as “off base” in public discourse such as School Board discussions, where the focus should be on policies to enhance student learning.
More: Tom Edwards walks out of School Board meeting during anti-gay attack
Ad hominem attacks violate rules of common decency, and they are also ineffective in addressing the issues at hand. Every School Board meeting has a purpose, and those who spend precious time hurling insults at another participant’s character, background or other quality undermine that purpose.
Board Chair Bridget Ziegler claims that board members should be expected to tolerate attacks like the ones against Tom Edwards, just because they are public servants. I disagree. Ziegler's job is to keep board meetings focused on relevant issues and ideas, not on the personal characteristics of her colleagues.
Mary Huba, Venice
GOP distracts voters with culture wars
Let’s all talk about drag queens.
And trans kids.
And critical race theory.
That's what Republican legislators in Tallahassee want us to do.
You don’t think those things affect you? Well, you’re right. Not compared to important issues like skyrocketing insurance bills, coastal pollution or keeping schools healthy and safe.
But the Tallahassee Republicans don’t tackle those issues. Because those issues are hard. They might involve saying “no” to rich donors.
Over the past decade, Republicans have grown to a supermajority in the Florida Legislature. That means that they and Gov. Ron DeSantis can do pretty much anything they want.
And Democrats and independents can’t stop them or even slow them down.
You’d think that with all that power, the GOP supermajority would take on important issues. Issues like soaring power bills and uncontrolled commercial development. They could solve all the big problems, right?
Instead, the Tallahassee crowd and their lobbyist buddies are grabbing lots of out-of-state, special interest dollars. Meanwhile, they distract us with culture wars.
One-party rule is bad for the citizens of authoritarian countries like China, Cuba and Venezuela.
It’s also bad for Florida. Remember that on Election Day.
Jim Blue, Punta Gorda
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 'Political gangsters' take over New College; U.S. diverse, inclusive
